Mr. G wrote:What specifically Jnana? I think if you're referring to there not being an open forum for debate, we try to moderate to the best of our abilities. It can be a tough balance between deciding whether a member is being disruptive/trollish, or sincerely attempting their best to communicate their thoughts in what they think is in a coherent way. It's also a fine line when one has to moderate a forum and see a complete sh!t show in a discussion where it's a free-for-all, and putting every thread on lockdown. But as you know, we are open to suggestions.

I wasn't referring to forum moderating, which is generally done well. It's a fine line indeed, but I also don't think that Jax should have been banned for expressing his views and opinions.

Mr. G wrote:What specifically Jnana? I think if you're referring to there not being an open forum for debate, we try to moderate to the best of our abilities. It can be a tough balance between deciding whether a member is being disruptive/trollish, or sincerely attempting their best to communicate their thoughts in what they think is in a coherent way. It's also a fine line when one has to moderate a forum and see a complete sh!t show in a discussion where it's a free-for-all, and putting every thread on lockdown. But as you know, we are open to suggestions.

I wasn't referring to forum moderating, which is generally done well. It's a fine line indeed, but I also don't think that Jax should have been banned for expressing his views and opinions.

With all the respect to everybody, I shall add a few words here. First of all, I am very new to Dharma Wheel, so I have no idea about past cases of people who had been banned or about E-Shanga either. I already thanked deeply the moderators for controlling well and putting an end to the annoying and continuous postings by Jax. According to my opinion, he was the one who was provoking continuously with many ways. At the end, just before his personal thread been locked, he declared to me that Dzogchen leads to theosis! I am Greek, so I know very well what theosis is. And I can certainly say that this is a totally wrong direction, and maybe for some people who cannot distinguish such subtle concepts, a very dangerous one. In any case, Jax is back again with many nicknames, as you maybe already noticed. So you don't have to feel sorry about him. He is not the type of guy who resigns easily! We see.....

"My view is as vast as the sky, but my actions are finer than flour" ~ Padmasambhava ~

For clarification, Jax's original ban was not for having duplicate accounts. He subsequently has created several accounts in contravention of the ToS each one has been banned. Jax chose not to follow the procedure regarding acts of moderation instead chose to accuse the team of behaving like Taliban.

As any of you who have held a position on a moderating team will know full well often times a moderating team is stuck between a rock and a hard place. It is not possible to please all the people all the time. The team try to act in a considered way taking into account complaints and reports etc. Generally after a team discussion a decision is made. Whilst it is understood that some will regard acts of moderation as censorship as far as I am concerned it is not about censorship it is about keeping Dharma Wheel as a haven for those wishing to discuss Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism as it clearly states in the header. We do get it wrong sometimes however if someone acts like a troll they will be treated like a troll. Creating more than one account is not permitted and most members seem to be able to comprehend what one member one account actually means but as it seemed earlier today that this was not understood an amendment was made to the ToS viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3589&p=88901#p88901 making it crystal clear.

For everyone's information if you have a complaint about an act of moderation please follow the procedure as laid out here viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2616 . Thanks for your co-operation.

Label me suspect: But the moment I came upon this stop on the road (this http address you loaded in your web browser), I envisioned a really tight, neatly packed space with a lot of conversations going on all at once (limbs and peoples' heads sticking out of the windows, even)

...and as I stood outside the pit-stop I thought, "Wow...it seems really noisy in there."

Not that I am necessarily labelling this forum as "too noisey" by any standard. . . but I just have to ask:

"How useful has this forum been for your practice and or life... really? To what degree has this forum lessened your own personal suffering"

Yes, I am very curious to know.Yes, I am new to this. No, I am not an expert at -anything-.Yes, I am very willing to learn, and hear all that all you wonderful individuals have to share. Every good, bad, agreeable and disagreeable anything.Yes, I am proceeding with caution as best I can, with as most mindfulness as I possess at this moment. I'll try my best! End of disclaimers...

This forum (or more precisely, people on it) has answered numerous questions I've had. I see it as a great springboard for further research and contemplations. There are many people here who are quite experienced and learned. I'm more a reader than an active poster and I often just browse and read through different threads.

Like E-Sangha before it, there is an incredible amount of good information here contributed by a large number of good people. It does take experience and discerning eye to figure out who are always worth listening to, though.

Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumal

Nice place, warm and cool, sometime the music is a bit laud but one can make it, waiters are ok and well educated (a large number comes from the e-sangha school), food is balanced and some private salon are very confortable ...

By understanding everything you perceive from the perspective of the view, you are freed from the constraints of philosophical beliefs.By understanding that any and all mental activity is meditation, you are freed from arbitrary divisions between formal sessions and postmeditation activity.- Longchen Rabjam -

Paul wrote:Like E-Sangha before it, there is an incredible amount of good information here contributed by a large number of good people. It does take experience and discerning eye to figure out who are always worth listening to, though.

If you use your eye to work out who to listen to you'll do well here! LOL

Paul wrote:Like E-Sangha before it, there is an incredible amount of good information here contributed by a large number of good people. It does take experience and discerning eye to figure out who are always worth listening to, though.

If you use your eye to work out who to listen to you'll do well here! LOL

What? You haven't developed the siddhi of synesthesia yet?

Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumal

Paul wrote:Like E-Sangha before it, there is an incredible amount of good information here contributed by a large number of good people. It does take experience and discerning eye to figure out who are always worth listening to, though.

If you use your eye to work out who to listen to you'll do well here! LOL

What? You haven't developed the siddhi of synesthesia yet?

Nah, I just eat ectoplasm - never judge a spook by its colour. (bad pun - 'book by its cover')

Well, after a bout of silliness and a bit of poetry I think I'm braced for DW for the next week or so.

A serious note:

I'm not sure if this is the thread for it, but I've been a Mod here and it is usually very easy, but please could those who are determined to be right and have the last word recognise that when it degenerates into bickering it isn't just hard work for Mods - it can also be pretty demotivating and upsetting. Of course, I've been responsible for angst here at times, but it doesn't mean that I don't know how it feels to clean up the mess on the floor.